Caller Number 9
by shslsteel
Summary: When your girls won't tell you what to do about that guy you like, what's left to do? Call the local radio host and rant about your problems there? That's definitely a good option. He'll tell you the truth, and ruin your love life while doing so. [College!AU, Minako/Shinjiro]
1. Number Nine on the Line!

He was going to call. She swore he would. It's only been two days, right? That surely meant that he would answer back today. She _had_ asked him if they were going out tomorrow, meaning he'd have to give her a response soon.

Surely enough, that response came.

" _ **hopefully i can xoxo**_ "

Minako slammed her pencil against the desk, probably breaking the lead at its tip. What kind of response was that? She was just trying to do her homework in peace. Of course he had to answer just then. _Being a college student sure is great_ , she thought. Minako had to submit that piece of art for the workshop soon. If not, she'd be, in short, **fucked**. Yet, her mind seemed to keep drawing back to Akio.

 _He said he likes me, right? And he kissed me! I mean, what kind of guy would say that he likes you then just drop you like that? Especially if he was your own crush. He couldn't possibly do that to me, right?_

The brunette stared at her work. The lines were okay, at most. She groaned. All this distraction was getting in the way of her work. She had promised herself that she would never let a crush do this to her again, but it seemed to fail every time she found herself even thinking a guy was cute. Minako knew that crushing was definitely not a good idea, but she couldn't help but yearn for more. She ripped the paper in front of her, the frustration slipping out from in between her teeth and through the sound of her pencil hitting the other wall. Finally, the feeling of rejection caught up to her, and quietly struck her down bit by bit. It wasn't that she was desperate, not at all! She had guys who would stop and ogle at her, or guys who would try to flirt with her senselessly. All she wanted, however, was someone to be genuinely interested.

It didn't help that Minato already found a girlfriend in Chihiro. They were going strong, for three years now, and Chihiro was soon to be Minako's official roommate unless she stopped staying over. Minako wasn't jealous, if you asked, but it was only then that she realized all her exes were shit.

Spending all this time moping, she almost missed the smooth, low voice that sounded from her radio.

" _Hello everyone_. As always this is Castor, the one and only, favorite late night DJ. You guys already know it, it's _that hour_ \- call in and we'll talk about everything- the taboo things included. Meanwhile, this first song is SAINT PEPSI's Fiona Coyne. Enjoy it."

The show was one she had just happened to come across one night when she had one too many a drink with her friends. She returned to the apartment, finding that Minato was still gone, probably with Chihiro, and mentally gagged. It was then that she found herself craving eggs, so she headed to the kitchen and began to prepare some. Midway through, the brunette decided that it was too quiet and turned on the radio. That was when she first heard DJ Castor's low, but pleasant vocie, and decent music taste.

And this was how Minato found her, bunched up in her room, devouring some eggs and listening to a lazy DJ discuss love life problems. He sometimes offended his listeners with his blunt remarks, and sometimes got praise for telling it straight.

From there, the rest was history.

After that night, Minako found herself listening to him daily, especially when she was stuck doing these stupid projects. She would leave her canvas open, the radio blasting, and her phone by her side.

Just in case her crush at the moment decided to text her.

At that moment, the song ended. The girl heard a familiar voice come back on the radio,

"That was it for the song. Now is the time for me to take calls, so drop one and we'll discuss life with the lucky caller number nine."

Minako's face began to turn red, and her heart began to pound as an idea began to form in her head. She never really thought about it, except for one really pathetic time, but what if she called? This DJ seemed like a guy who wouldn't beat around the bush, saying the truth, when her girls would just say, _"He's just playing hard to get, Minako. You just have to wait, Minako."_

She kind of needed someone to tell it to her straight.

Minako swore she could hear her heart all the way up in her ears, as she began to dial the number that Castor had listed off so many times, she practically memorized it by now. Then, her heart stopped.

Minako was told that she was caller number nine, and that she would be put on hold. Her plan seemed to work, but did she really want it to? She could end the call right here. But, as the seconds flew by, she made no move to press the end button. In the end, she probably sounded stupid, as she was startled by the low voice of Castor greeting her.

"Caller number nine! Should we keep you by that name, or call you something else?"

"Nine..." Minako whispered to herself, "Nine is fine."

"Alright then, caller number nine. Why don't you tell us your story, or question?"

Minako hesitated for a bit. She didn't really know what to imagine, of course. Was the DJ leaning in front of the mic, truly interested in what she had to say? Minako knew better. He was probably sprawled in his chair, looking somewhat like a comfy cat.

"Nine...?" The voice shook her out of her thoughts. She cleared her throat, and spoke.

"Well, there's this guy I like."

The DJ chuckled, "There's always a guy. Or, a girl, for you other listeners."

Minako nodded, though he couldn't see her, and continued, "Well, he's a year older than me, and we met in a lecture. We talked a bit here and there, but were never really friends."

Castor interrupted, "Did he ever ask you out?"

"Well," Minako stuttered, "After a.. Drunk bar kiss..."

She laughed nervously.

"I see.." He thought for a moment, "Not interested. Just looking for fun."

"I mean, he told me he liked me and has for a while..."

Castor snorted, "Did he call you ever since your.. well, _date_?"

"We, um, texted."

"As I said, not interested. He's just there for your attractiveness, but is probably indecisive. He's there for you, just not all of you. You got me?" Castor truly was a force to be reckoned with- and Minako wanted to challenge that force.

"What if he's just shy and awkward?" She questioned, trying to get him to think about other sides.

"Nope." The DJ shook his head on the other side of the line, "This boy, whatever his name is, just probably didn't want to hurt your feelings. But he did, excuse my language, and he's a dick. You, caller number nine, are wasting your time."

Minako flushed red at this. How could he do this? How could some random stranger pick apart her situation so easily, while here she was, trying to find excuses for her rejection. What the **heck**.

"Wasted... my time?"

"Yes, dear, he did. But don't let him know you're upset, it'll only make him satisfied. Here's some advice- being sincere is a problem, you end up seeing everyone as sincere as well. Start being a bit more... cynical."

Cynical? How in the world could she do that? Another question popped into her head.

"How? How is it so easy for people to do that? A girl can literally throw herself at a man and they'll say yes. How do I know when someone is being sincere and when they aren't?"

Castor sighed, "You're lucky I like you, caller number nine. You're naive. Let me give you, and my other listeners, a little secret. When you like someone, get the upper hand. Stop placing this person of your dreams on a pedestal, because when it comes down to it, they're just like all of us. What you have to do is act like you're a prize to be won, and that they're lucky enough to have your attention. Or at least, learn to not give a shit when they tap out."

"That's not right, though!" Minako was starting to get irritated, "All that does is put a wall between people. If you're going to learn how to love, do it properly!"

Minako didn't understand this. She was a romantic at heart, truly. She believed in fairy tales and happy endings, and believed that the world was in pink when you were in love. Now, this grumpy DJ was telling her to act as if she was better than the world.

"Then tell me, caller number nine, what's your plan? Because obviously, this secret strategy is doing wonders for you." Castor challenged Minako to fight him, verbally.

"I mean..." Minako started, "I- I don't have a plan. But, that's okay. I mean, I'd rather be honest about liking someone, rather than running around in circles. What if the one person who had so much potential walked away because I couldn't get off my high horse? This isn't a game, Castor. Love is something people are lucky enough to receive. And I want someone to feel lucky because we're with each other."

Minako took a deep breath. Dang, she hadn't been angry in quite a while.

"That is going to get you places, caller number nine. Just do me a favor, and don't call back when an asshole breaks your heart again."

"Ugh!" Minako ended the call right then and there, as she heard Castor snickering on the radio, as he cut to a commercial break.

As if it was all planned out, her phone rang at that moment. Minako looked at the caller ID to see the name, "Akio". Of course, it was the one person she had been moping about moments ago. She grimaced, and answered the phone as all of her anger spilled out of her.

"Don't call me again." She started, "I don't want to waste my time on someone who won't be straight with me."

She hung up, not even bothering to hear his response.

It would be quite a while until she listened to the local radio again.

Later, when she woke up in the morning, Minako found an endless stream of texts, calls, voicemails, and a picture message or two. She wasn't sure to hate Castor for being right, or happy that he was.

 _I hate you, Castor._

* * *

 _A/N: Wow I'm back in writing and I want to cry. Well, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter, and I'll be sure to update again soon! Please leave a favorite, follow, or comment!_


	2. Meet Him

Normal people slept for a decent amount of time when they could. Normal people did not eat unhealthy breakfasts, consisting of a chocolate bar and some coffee. Normal people had normal friends who actually knew what privacy was and did not sneak into their apartment at 6 in the morning. Normal people did not use their kitchen tables as makeshift beds, above all.

However, normal was a concept that was not prevalent in Minako's life.

A normal person would probably be upset at Junpei coming into their apartment at this ungodly time, but Minako was not a normal person. She was currently seated on top of her table, surrounded by blankets, holding a coffee mug. To her left was a half-eaten chocolate bar. To her right was the asshole she called her best friend, also known as Junpei. Personally, she didn't care too much. What else could she care about, after she broke down in front of her 'favorite' radio host. She was thankful that she didn't give her name, or she might've considered actually dropping out of college and becoming a farmer in a small town across the country.

"So, Minako. Things are good with Akio, right?" Junpei started, in a tone that said he already knew what the answer would be. Really, this man just wanted to hear that he had been correct all along.

Minako laughed and looked down.

"No... Not really."

"I knew it." Junpei said. There it was again, that tone. She knew he didn't mean to be rude- probably just a bit judgmental. I mean, it was bound to happen after Minako ignored Junpei's douchebag radar for the fifth time.

"Don't look at me like that."

"You aren't even looking at me." Junpei noted, and he was right. However, it was pretty hard not to feel his stare. Now, he was probably smiling too wide for this time in the morning. Now, it may have been the coffee. Or, it could've been the fact that Junpei Iori was always a bit too happy.

"Do you take me for an idiot?" Minako raised her eyebrows, "You're smiling now, but you were judging me a second ago."

"Okay, okay, maybe I was." Junpei admitted, "But you have to tell me, you know that he isn't worth it. He even looks like a loser- who in the world uses a shirtless picture for their profile pic?"

Junpei remembered the scene and scrunched his nose. Gross. Meanwhile, Minako laughed at his face.

"I know, I know." Minako groaned, her eyes squinting as Junpei passed her some cheap coffee and the chocolate bar.

Minako looked at it before she decided she wasn't hungry. The brunette shook her head, passing it back, "I don't have an appetite."

Junpei questioned this, getting his hand ready to steal the snack in front of him, "I'm gonna eat it then, if you won't." He smiled, knowing Minako would never let him steal her food. Hell, the girl's counted her fries before to make sure he wouldn't eat them. Normally, sweets, and food in general, made Minako the happiest person- but after that incident last night, she just really, really, wanted to sleep.

The girl's eyebrows raised in fake disgust, "You dick." She snatched the chocolate and coffee, before taking a big bite.

Junpei scoffed, before moving on and asking her a question.

"Did you even sleep last night?"

"Maybe like three hours."

She looked down at her chocolate, sighing. Junpei looked over her, and he didn't miss her feet wiggling as she enjoyed her food- a habit she had. It really made him wonder if the girl was a college student.

"No wonder you look terrible." Junpei snorted, "You said you were gonna sleep after you texted me. What kept you up?"

"Well…" Minako started. She didn't really want to disclose information about her call with the DJ host, so she kept it short, "That asshole of a dude, homework… Stuff in general, I guess."

Minako took another bite of her chocolate, feeling quite embarrassed.

"I think…" She started to talk again, "I think it would be easier to ignore him if he was even just a bit uglier. You know, if he had ugly teeth or something like that."

Junpei thought for a bit, "He's the worst player on the team, if that helps. Can't bat for his life." Minako felt a little smile coming from her lips. Junpei was one of the first friends she had in university, other than a girl from the same high school as her. She met him, and his dog, as she was walking to her apartment after a long study night. Apparently, they had been locked out of their apartment, and had to wait for the landlord, who would arrive the next morning. Somehow, Minako found herself sitting with him until six in the morning. In that time, she learned a lot about Junpei and Koro, as he called the dog. Koro had the fur of an angel, and was way more mature than his owner. Junpei liked his eggs baked- they're fluffier that way- and believed that there should be a class about happiness, because God knows that everyone took things too seriously and sometimes needed a break.

The next day, it took her four cups of coffee and three shots of some energy drink, but she thought it was worth it. Somehow, the boy and his dog made their way into her life- not that she was complaining.

"Hey, hey hey…" Junpei poked her. She was getting lost in thought again, it seemed.

"Shh. You should be proud of me, anyways. He called me last night, and I told him off."

Junpei raised his eyebrows, "Hmm? How did this change of heart occur? Did someone steal your heart?"

Minako slapped his shoulder jokingly, before offering a serious answer, "Some jerk gave me advice."

She cringed at the thoughts from last night, shaking her head. Junpei noticed this, and smiled.

"Seems like this jerk is a keeper."

Minako, once again, punched the boy playfully in the arm, and his feigned look of hurt did nothing to soften her fake glare.

"Well, I'm not asking Prince Charming for advice anymore." She simply stated, shrugging her shoulders.

Junpei thought for a bit, then his face lit up.

"Wait, wait… If you can turn seemingly nice guys into douches…" He paused, "Then maybe it works the other way too! You can turn that jerk into a decent guy. You should try it. I mean, things can't get worse for you, can it?"

"Shut it, Junpei."

* * *

"You did good last night. Liked the songs."

The voice came from Shinjiro's side, as Aki flipped through his magazines on the couch. Shinji, on the other hand, was trying not to fall asleep- he had his stupid journalism class in thirty minutes, and he'd rather not fall asleep in class. Things were different when you were the one paying for your education. Shinji groaned as he heard this statement from Akihiko, then remembered the girl.

"I had a little more fun than usual. Did you tune in from the start?" He asked Aki, he looked up at him.

"No. Did you get another crazy fangirl?" Akihiko looked up at his friend, who was smirking.

"Nah." Shinjiro shook his head, "This girl called in and called me an asshole after I gave her some advice. It was…. Amusing."

Akihiko laughed, "Who would've thought that DJ Castor was a masochist? Into verbal abuse, aren't you?"

"I would think not." Shinji snorted, "It was just- this girl was so naïve. You don't find those around lately."

Akihiko sighed, "God bless the girl that falls for you. She's gonna need all the help she can get."

The two stayed silent for a bit, while Shinji looked at his hands. Then, Akihiko spoke up again.

"Do you really not believe in relationships?"

Shinjiro's face crunched up, as he shook his head to the side.

"I do, just- just not now."

Shinji hated when Aki questioned him about this- which happened quite a lot. It was just that his relationships would never work out. He would care too much, and the girl would be overwhelmed. He would care too little, and she'd leave. There were times where he tried to stay in between the lines, but he would lose track of who he really cared for. At some point, he just ended up feeling like he was defective.

Then again, the man was just looking out for his friend.

It wasn't until Shinjiro met Akihiko that he began making friends again. That was the time that he realized that it wasn't he who was the problem, but the other people. His solution to that? Easy, he cut them off. It was, in short, a bad way to handle things, but hell, it made his life easier. If people didn't want him, fuck it.

Akihiko was disappointed in the lack of a real answer, but he knew that it was to be expected. It happened every time he tried to interrogate Shinji.

"Well then," Akihiko looked at his friend, "It's time for me to get going. I gotta get those shots for media class. You should go and get them too."

"Yeah, yeah…"

* * *

"It's way too early for class." Minako groaned as she pulled on her ponytail, her glasses covering her eyes from the world. Not that it mattered- Junpei was really the only one paying attention to her right now. He'd already seen her at her worst, with those darn undereye circles.

"Maybe you could just turn it in and leave?" He offered.

"I wish I could do that, but I have to work on other projects before I get to rest." She sighed, but turned to face Junpei, "But how're you? I haven't asked about your classes yet. And how's baseball?"

"Eh, I'm good." Junpei answered, "Projects are killing me too, but we're having a game soon, and the dance team will be having a showcase in between. I heard that your favorite DJ is covering it. You know, the late night one?"

Minako groaned in response, and Junpei took note of this.

"Don't like him anymore?"

Minako nodded, "I guess I just lost interest. He got too… Annoying, I guess. You know, how he always gave that kind of hurtful 'advice' to girls."

She emphasized advice, rolling her eyes.

"Really now?" Junpei said, slightly shocked- she always talked about him. "Well, you're going to come either way! Take care of Koro for me while I play. I can't bear to not see the boy!"

"Fine, I will…" She looked up to Junpei as he stood, patting her on the head before he waved.

"See you there, then!" With that, he began to leave.

"Gosh, why can't I fall for someone like him…" Minako thought, "Would've been way easier for me."

"People really suck." She mused out loud, as she began to exit her apartment. She mumbled to herself the whole time. As she exited, she said bye to the caretaker, looking back at him as she pushed open the door. As she did this, however, the caretaker simply scoffed at her.

"People really do suck…" She said, frowning as she closed the door, not minding where she was.

"I was just trying to be nice…" She continued, walking straight ahead.

Well, she would've walked straight ahead, if she hadn't bumped into some tall guy.

Minako looked up, as the man looked down at her. He was tall, his scruffy hair tucked into a cap, and he wore a dark jacket, his eyes screaming death to her.

After a few seconds he spoke, "You know, talking to yourself is a sign of insanity."

"Thanks for that…?" Minako backed up, as he sneered.

"No, thanks to you for ruining my shot."

Minako gasped, stopped in her tracks, and mustered her most offended look. It was too damn early for this.

"Excuse me!?" She looked up at him again, "Do you not know what time it is? It's seven in the morning, and I stayed up all night to finish homework and mull about my own problems. Now you decide to treat me like this about a picture?! Hell, you look pretty beat too."

Minako stopped, her chest heaving, but the man didn't look too offended by this speech. In fact, he looked amused.

"Um…" Another man, just a bit shorter than the other one, stepped near, "Am I interrupting anything?"

This man looked way more put together than the other, and was holding two cups of coffee. Minako shook her head, as she began to stalk away.

"I hope you drop your camera, asshat." She murmured under her breath, as the two boys watched her go.

* * *

Now, Shinjiro should've been offended, but he said nothing as he took his coffee and started scrolling through the pictures he took.

"She seemed… Nice…"

"A real charmer."

It didn't go unnoticed to Akihiko as he watched Shinjiro scroll past the girl's picture, not deleting it. Akihiko didn't say anything, however.

Shinjiro always did have a strange taste in women.

* * *

A/N: Chapter two is done! I really hope you all enjoyed it, and please leave a favorite, follow, or review if you did! Thank you!


	3. This Message Is Brought To You By

This is probably what hell felt like.

Minako thought that she'd be good for the rest of the day, but after exiting her last class and walking out into the cool evening, she found someone sitting on a bench, their hands clasped and looking intently at her. She tried to walk away, but she was abruptly stopped when she felt a hand grab her wrist. Minako slapped him away promptly, but couldn't help herself from standing in her place. At that moment, what she wanted to do was tell him off, curse at him, slap him, or anything. She wanted to be confident like DJ Castor said.

But she couldn't.

"Listen." Akio began, "Can….can we talk?"

Minako noticed him stumbling on his words. She sighed, shaking her head in disappointment.

"Does it look like I want to talk?" She snapped, furrowing her brows. Minako pursed her lips in a frown, and Akio started to regret his decision. Then again, it was this side of her that he was attracted to.

"Not really." Akio shrugged, "But I need to apologize. I haven't been, ya know, straight with you."

Akio was the type of man that was insanely handsome, Minako thought at this moment. The type of handsome that drove her up the wall crazy, and made her really mad. She thought he had all her requirements- except for the fact that he was pretty much a douche.

"Five minutes." She looked at him, raising her eyebrows.

"Alright, alright…" Akio looked down at his shuffling feet, unsure of where to start, "You're cute and all, but I don't see you in that way. That day at the bar, I was just looking for someone to hook up with, and I thought we were on the same page."

Akio reached his arm out, hoping that Minako would lean in for the touch, but instead, she backed away.

"Yeah, I get it. Ideally, the person you like doesn't confess to you in a bar when they're tipsy as hell. But that doesn't mean you can tell a person you like them and blatantly tell them you want to make them happy, because that's just a dick move."

Akio tried to speak, but Minako raised her hand to shush him.

"And you do not tell them that they're the kind of person you've been waiting for and then proceed to ask them out when you have no intention of being serious." Minako said, and felt her lips beginning to quiver. Great, she almost made it through a whole day of not feeling like this- but he had to ruin it at the last possible moment.

"You're taking this too hard, Minako." Akio snapped, glaring at her.

At that moment, Minako felt something break.

"You know what, Akio?" Minako glared back at him, "You're a dick. Leave me alone. You're cute enough to kiss, but not worth my time."

Minako turned, and began to walk away. She didn't even stop her rushed walking, as she bumped into someone, almost dropping their camera. She was too busy trying to hide the fact that her feelings were just shattered to notice a person's gaze following her.

"Hm. What do you think happened to those two?" Kenji was still peeking over his shoulder as the brunette girl stalked by. On the other hand, Shinji was flipping through the photos on his camera, and found the picture from this morning. Staring at it, he probably lingered on it for too long.

It was supposed to be a calm, morning shot, but the appearance of a beautiful girl threatening to spill tears altered the mood completely. It was now a sombre piece, which was seemingly extremely fragile. His finger lingered over the delete button, but he couldn't bring himself to press it. It was a good shot, he could use it for a project.

Hopefully she wouldn't find out.

Kenji noticed that his upperclassman friend analyzed the picture for quite a long time, and suddenly spoke up.

"Who's that?"

Shinji cleared his throat.

"No one, let's get moving."

"Fine, fine." Kenji sighed, "Alright, how many action shots do you need?"

"At least fifty. I need to submit ten, and out of those fifty, ten are bound to be good." Shinji entered the dance building, as he and Kenji conversed. Finally, they entered a practice room, and Shinji sat on the floor next to the glass, while Kenji stretched.

"I heard your set last night~" Kenji practically sing-songed, and Shinji swore he almost threw the camera at him.

"Don't you have a bedtime, kiddo?"

"No, just like you don't have game."

"You little shit," Shinji glared at him, but made no move to stand. He was too lazy and preoccupied to go after him. He also didn't want to chase away his current model- his next grade kind of depended on him.

"I mean, you did good." Kenji started, moving to turn on the music, "I was just kinda surprised that you were so harsh on that girl last night."

Shinji shrugged, and Kenji began to take a few shuffling steps that kinda made Shinji dizzy. He took a practice shot, and looked at it. It was kinda blurry, a cool effect- however, it wasn't what he needed for his class. He kept the picture anyways.

"She just needed to hear the truth. Most girls today are so naïve." A click sounded as Shinji began to snap his shots carefully.

Kenji hummed in slight agreement as he began to drop on his knees and slide. Shinji always thought dance was cool, but he couldn't really ever bring himself to join in on it. Truthfully, he was always more of a creator than a performer, with the exception of the radio show.

Kenji stood back up, and tilted his head in thought, "Maybe she wasn't really that naïve though. She could just be sincere, and God knows we need more of those people in the world. Everyone's playing games and trying too hard to be cool."

Before Shinji could even answer, Kenji moved to play another song. On the other hand, Shinji thought about his answer. He was right, in a way. There were way too many people hardened by bad relationships, and learned the hard way. That was kinda why he held that kind of segment on the show- he wanted to help out people before they became a hopeless person like him. However, some people just needed a little more help than others.

People were wild, and lied too much. Shinji thought that photography was the exact opposite. It was one of the major reasons he loved it, except for the cheesy portrait kind of photography. Those kinds were staged, and fake. On the other hand, candid photography was different. Even with all the editing that can go into it, there would always be the base, made up of the truth. Whether it was the people or feelings, they would always be captured permanently, even if the moment was gone forever.

In short, it was honest. It was sincere.

Shinjiro wondered, though- if he could capture sincerity on camera, why couldn't he capture it in real life?

How the hell can you tell if someone is sincere or not? No one's gutsy enough to put their feelings out there in the open. Only the people in movies are that stupid and brave, but those are movies.

Movies are nasty little fucking liars.

"Hey, Shinji, what's wrong?" Kenji had been practicing some moves, when he noticed that his photographer had stopped photographing. The man was instead looking down at the floor, thinking about some unknown thing.

"It's nothing, brat." Shinji picked up the camera again, shooing Kenji away. The last thing that he needed right now was someone asking him all those stupid questions, like Aki did. He already dealt with a bunch of feelings as a radio show host. Adding himself to the list of phone call patients was a huge no-no.

"Fine, fine, you look troubled that's all," the young male faced the mirror once more and began practicing a set of complicated dance moves, all done with precision and grace, despite the aggressive nature of the background music. Shinji began to take the shots again, almost filling up his quota.

After a while, Shinji spoke up again, after a few minutes, "Kenji."

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever met anyone sincere?"

Kenji thought over the question for a bit, nodding, "Yeah. You and Akihiko-senpai. You guys don't really say it, but we have a sincere friendship."

Shinji cringed a bit- Kenji had the nerves to call Akihiko his senpai, but not him. Whatever, he decided.

"How is that?"

Kenji shrugged, "You know. How you guys always ask me how I am, or how I did in school. You're always looking after me. If we weren't honest, then we wouldn't even bother taking care of the other person in a relationship, yet that's what you guys do for me."

Shinji grunted and nodded, "Alright. Keep dancing, I need six more shots."

Maybe he just needed to stop thinking about it.

* * *

Minako had to be a masochist. There was no other way. If there was, she wouldn't be awake at one in the morning, coffee cup in her hand, canvas and watercolors at her side, and DJ Castor's voice playing in the background.

Truth be told, the piece wasn't even due until next week, but she thought she might as well get a head start on it, if she couldn't sleep. Even Minato noticed this, as he peeked into Minako's room.

"Dude, shouldn't you be sleeping? You've been awake for like, thirty-six hours."

"Mind your own business."

You see, Minato noticed when his twin was on the phone with her friends. They always gave her cringy advice when she talked about Akio or some other guy. It was either that he was shy, or playing hard to get. And honestly, that was stupid.

The thing about growing up is that no one really ever told you that it isn't your problem when someone else doesn't like you. It's the other person's problem. So when a kid first meets someone who dislikes them, they're confused. It's kind of implied that it's not their fault- but no one really ever says it. It ends up with the kid feeling like a doll missing a part, like a leg or an arm.

And no kid in a toy store has ever said, "I want the broken doll!"

"I'm a loser," she muttered into her desk. She was supposed to give Akio a piece of her mind, not cry about it. She could talk to Minato about it, but the fact that he had his girlfriend over right now wasn't really appealing. Of course, Minako loved Chihiro. She just didn't want to dump her every single problem on her.

Maybe, just maybe, that was why it was so comforting to listen to Castor. Somehow, he gave her just a little bit of company.

Or maybe, she was just going insane.

At that moment, however, the DJ's voice caught her attention.

"So I think…" He began, "I think I have an answer for that caller number 9 last night." Minako felt as if a cold ice cube was dropped down her spine. This can't be happening. Immediately, she dropped everything and turned the volume up.

"…I mean, I doubt she's listening, especially after calling me an asshole, but if someone knows who that ditzy girl is, let her know I looked into it. She asked about sincerity and after talking it over with some kid too mature for his age, I may have it."

Minako stood still, as if she was waiting for someone to give her the secret to happiness. It wasn't like she didn't need it- hell, all college students did. Even so, this was wild.

"Sincerity isn't always said, nor can it be trusted so easily if it is said. Especially considering the time and our age. But sincerity will come in the form actions, like taking care of the other person, remembering the things they like, what things are important to them, crap like that. You're going to have to keep your eyes open caller nine. But seriously, keep your head out of the clouds too. You're going to get hurt if you don't watch where you step, and I definitely don't want you calling me, crying about some guy who broke your heart."

Minako felt her cheeks getting hot. Was this guy actually being nice? This was a truly unexpected turn of events.

"Damn DJ put me on blast." She muttered to herself, before looking at her mess.

She decided then to get some sleep.

Minako would need it if she wanted to cheer Junpei on tomorrow.

* * *

A/N: im tired send help and leave a review


	4. Static

A/N : Just placing a small warning here! Further down the chapter, there's many mentions of drinking/being drunk. If this makes you uncomfortable, please feel free to PM me for a rundown of this chapter!

* * *

"Wanna try mine?"

A half-eaten cone of ice cream was shoved in Minako's face, and she could make out the little sprinkles and cake bits inside of the vanilla-flavored treat. It looked insanely good, but she wasn't entirely sure if Yukari had licked that side of the cone yet.

"Here, here." Yukari pointed to a small spot, where Minako could see a good chunk of cake, "I haven't eaten this part yet." Minako immediately placed her spoon in the ice cream, quite content with the share she had gotten. At that moment, the two were sitting in the stands, waiting for Junpei's baseball game to start.

Yukari was one of the other friends Minako had at college, as they had come from the same high school. The girl was a theatre major, getting small acting roles here and there. As Minako ate the ice cream, she nodded at Yukari as a sign of thanks, and the girl smiled widely in response. It was at times like these when Minako thought that Yukari could read her mind. Yukari agreed, saying that maybe in an older life, they were the same person and happened to be split. She also thought that it was the reason why Minako got along so well with Junpei. Minako, on the other hand, just thought that Junpei was just that lovable. A ray of sunshine, he was.

Even if he got on their nerves most of the time.

"Wanna try some of mine, too?" Minako held a spoon out to Yukari, who ate it willingly, caramel and all. Yukari's face lit up when she tasted it, and she grinned.

"I think I like yours better. Wanna switch?" She offered, and Minako gasped as if she was offended.

"Excuse me, but this is mine. Maybe I'll buy you a pint later if you behave." At this, Yukari sulked, but Minako continued, "What time does the game even start anyways?"

"I think seven." Yukari shrugged, returning to her perky self, "I heard they got a new kid on their team, his name's Ken, I think. I've been to their practices a few times, and he's pretty good."

Minako didn't recognize the name, but she nods anyways.

"The whole school is here," Yukari notes, looking at the crowd. She began to pick out faces she recognized, some from places she frequented, and some from class. Minako, on the other hand, felt her heart drop a little at this. Akio's friends would be here, and he would be playing on the team with Junpei.

"Hey, are you okay?" Yukari paused, noticing her friend's downtrodden expression.

"Yeah…" Minako nodded, "Just a bit sick after eating too fast, I guess."

Yukari raised her brows, but decided not to question it. She looked around, to see a group of slightly familiar people horsing around with skateboards on the side.

"Hold up, Minako." Yukari got up and went to them. Moments later, she returned with a skateboard and a dude who was half a head taller than Yukari.

"Minako, wanna try?" Yukari held out the skateboard, and Minako got up. The man with Yukari looked at Minako, swearing that he saw her somewhere before.

"Sure." Minako shrugged, before she caught the unfamiliar guy staring at her, "Do I know you?"

The guy thought about it for a good second, "I should be asking you that. I don't really know, though. I don't think so?"

Minako nodded in agreement, "Yeah. Yukari, who is this?"

Yukari smiled, "This is my classmate, Kenji."

Kenji extended his hand, "Nice to meet you…?"

"Minako." She gripped his hand in hers, and gave it a firm shake, before letting go.

"Nice to meet you, Minako. The name's Kenji."

"Same here." Minako looks over at Yukari, and suddenly, Kenji recognizes her side portrait.

"By any chance…" He began, "Do you know Shinji?"

The confused look on her face gave a good enough answer, so Kenji didn't pursue the question any further. Yukari, on the other hand, noticed the slight awkwardness, so she slung her arm around Kenji.

"So, Kenji," She looked at him, "You ride often? We should go together sometime. I know we don't look it, but Minako and I go the park every so often and ride bikes there."

"Sometimes. I go around town and by the boardwalk." Kenji smiled.

"Great! Gimme your number, so we can go next weekend!"

Minako cringed a bit. Yukari was really friendly with a lot of people, but Minako already had her doubts about this. However, the smile on her friend's face was something that was impossible to say no to. Kenji found himself agreeing, and the two switched numbers.

As this happens, Kenji makes a mental note to ask Shinji why he had a picture of Minako on his camera. Either it was a fluke, or his senpai had some seriously creepy habits.

Minako doesn't know how it happened, but Kenji stays with her and Yukari for the remainder of their time there. Despite his initial impression, he got along quite well with Yukari, and Minako found herself enjoying his corny jokes and impressions. She learned that he was a transfer in the same year as her, and came because some friends of his were performing at halftime, one was there for a project, and another was going to be playing. She also learned that he was a dancer himself, but he just hadn't joined a team yet- though he planned to later. The next half hour is spent with Yukari and Kenji making up some silly choreography, attracting a good crowd. In that half hour, Minako felt herself die ever so slightly, before she suggested going to stands to get food and find their friends.

The food stands were even more crowded than the grounds, and the smell of food everywhere immediately had Minako losing her two friends. Of course they had to be attracted to the food, and rushed off. Minako is left in a cluster of people who would not budge at all. She was really tempted to elbow everyone in the gut- after all, her height allowed her to. However, she just had to catch sight of the one person she would rather not see right now.

Just a few feet away from her, was Akio standing at a hot dog stand with some random girl latched onto his arm.

Minako groaned, and immediately turned the opposite way, almost about to run. She squeezed into an empty space, and felt herself bump into a tall presence.

"Geez…" The voice said, and she recognized it, "You really like to ruin my shots, don't you?"

Minako looks up and sees the same man from before, in his large peacoat with a scowl on his face. She bit her lip, and stared at him for a good second before backing away.

"Sorry.." Was all Minako could mutter.

The man tilted his head, and stepped closer, "No smart comebacks this time? You were so articulate before."

He leaned over her, a bit too close for comfort. Minako grimaced, and stepped backwards again.

"What do you even want from me? It's your fault that you can't even take a proper picture."

"An apology." The guy looks at her, "You know, something normal people say when they've been too rude for their own good."

"I wasn't even trying to be rude. Haven't you ever heard of someone having a bad day? You have some nerve to be insulting some random stranger. Or perhaps, you're always this charming?"

"Most pretty girls find me quite charming, actually." He grinned, and Minako wasn't entirely sure if he was complimenting her or not.

"Well, if I'm not getting an apology, you aren't either." Minako crosses her arms.

The tension was strong, until Minako heard a voice.

"Minako! Minako!" Yukari pushed through the crowd, panting as she reached the two, "We thought you were right behind u- oh. Am I interrupting something?"

Minako noticed that Kenji wasn't with her anymore, but that was the least of her worries. When neither of them spoke, Yukari continued.

"Are you a friend of Minako's? I've never seen you." Yukari smiled at the tall man, as Minako cringed. Leave it to Yukari to make friends with her worst enemy.

"Yes."

"No."

"Umm?" Yukari's eyes shift between the two, but she decided not to ask.

"Okay…" Yukari bit her lip, "Um. We're already late to the game, and Junpei should be playing soon. Let's go."

Yukari grabbed her friend's hand, dragging her back to their spot on the grounds. Yukari gives the man a pointed look, and his gaze falls to their hands as he grinned. He could sense Yukari's protectiveness of the other girl, as they walked away.

"See you around… Minako."

* * *

"Senpai! There you are! I was looking for you at the radio booth!" Kenji stepped up near Shinji, as the other male watched the two girls leave.

"What were you doing?" Kenji continued.

"Just making some new friends." Shinjiro snorted, "I think you'd like them."

Man, he could be so weird sometimes.

* * *

Yukari and Minako were always Junpei's biggest fans whenever he danced. It's quite clear when they cheered the loudest during his game, with their huge posters and the ear-piercing screams they give when their team are announced as the champions. It was honestly a surprise that they weren't escorted out of the grounds.

When Junpei came out of the cage, the two girls immediately ran over and hugged him, showering him with hi-fives. It's kind of ridiculous, but Junpei doesn't mind. In fact, it made him feel like he'd explode of pride.

Yukari spots the younger teammate as he approached the friends, and pet him on the head. Ken smiles awkwardly and blushes, and Minako notes that this is completely different than his confident stance on the field.

"You must be Ken, right?" Minako smiled at him. She congratulated him as well, pulling him in for a slightly awkward hug, "I don't think I've ever seen someone so young playing this well in a college league! I feel like a proud mother."

After a few comments are exchanged, Junpei turned to Ken.

"Hey kid, what're you doing after this?"

"We're actually having a party, with a senior named Mitsuru. You guys want to go? There's gonna be free drinks." Ken smiles at them, looking too innocent for someone who's going to a party.

"We'll go!" Yukari beamed, "Right, Junpei?"

Junpei nodded, "Send us the address, and we'll be there."

Ken grins, "Alright, I'll send you the address, senpai. See you later!"

The young man waved, before turning and heading towards the food stands.

"What the heck, Stupei, Yukari?" Minako groaned, "You guys need to think before saying yes."

"Shush." Junpei looked at her, "If it sucks, we'll get breakfast afterwards."

Yukari agreed, "Late night breakfast is always great."

Minako sighed, and reluctantly agreed.

She would be in for a wild night.

* * *

It was a little past ten when Minako stepped out of Junpei's car, noting that although Ken made it sound like a small party, she could hear a bass drop and see many people and balloons everywhere. It relieved Minako that she couldn't see Akio anywhere, and she felt even better when she saw Ken chatting with some familiar figure, including a redhead that Minako had seen on campus a few times before.

Minako could sense the excitement coming from both Yukari and Junpei, and she felt that it influenced her a bit too. Truth be told, the three of them didn't have many close friends other than each other, and Minato. To be invited to a party as big as this was a step for them, into the college scene. As the trio stepped in, Minako could swear she felt a few pairs of eyes on her, one being Ken's. He was the first to notice them, and put a halt on whatever conversation he had to come talk to them.

"I could've sworn that you guys got lost on the way here," Ken jokes, as his friend came over. Minako smiled as she recognized Kenji, and waved.

"Kenji!" Yukari greeted him, "This is our friend on the team, Junpei. Or as Minako and I call him, Stupei."

Yukari pointed at their friend, who waved. Meanwhile, Ken looked a bit surprised.

"You guys know each other?" Ken questioned.

"From some classes," Kenji answered the question, "We really only talked at the game, though."

At this, Ken pouts a bit, feeling left out. When Minako pats his head and smiles, however, all feelings of jealousy immediately disappear. The group heads over to Ken and Kenji's other friends, and introductions were made. Minako found out that the redhead woman was, in fact, Mitsuru. A senior at the school, Mitsuru was probably one of the prettiest women Minako had ever encountered, if not the most. It turned out that Ken lived with her, and some others, in this dorm. One of those other people was Akihiko, who Minako slightly recognized.

She recalled his face as she shook his hand, but the image that forms in her memory is a confused face holding coffee. It seemed as if he remembers as well, because he smiles awkwardly at her and nods, as if he didn't want to bring it up. Minako was thankful for this, but she wasn't sure if she should bring up her meeting with his friend earlier.

Sooner or later, Minako loosened up, sipping a drink by the kitchen counter, and avoiding the swarm of people on the dance floor. She chatted with the group for a bit, before Mitsuru piped up.

"Aki, where's Shinjiro? He should meet our new guests."

Minako raises a brow at this, unsure of whether or not to ask about it. Noticing Minako's confused face, Kenji speaks up instead.

"Minako, he's the friend I asked you about earlier. He should be here soon!" Kenji began to search the room with his eyes as well. Minako thought about helping out, but it was silly, considering she didn't even know what their friend looked like.

* * *

"Mitsuru-senpai, where's your bathroom?" Junpei finally asks after downing the last of his drink. After Mitsuru points it out to him, Junpei stumbles towards it a bit.

Minako tapped Yukari, simply to ask, "You think he's drunk?"

Yukari shrugged, "Let's just try to keep his cup filled with soda for now."

To this, Minako nodded, "If anything, I'll drive us home. I've only had one cup, and it should wear off by the time we head home."

Overhearing this conversation, Mitsuru stepped in, protesting.

"You guys can stay the night if you like? We have a spare room and you can stay there. The boys can take a couch, and you two can sleep in the rooms. We wouldn't want you out there like this."

The hostess's hospitality surprised Minako, and Mitsuru chuckled a bit at her bashful face. Honestly, the redhead truly reminded Minako of one of the princesses in her childhood fairytales.

Minako stumbled on her words as she tried to decline his offer, but Akihiko just laughed.

"Just accept it. I wouldn't put it past Mitsuru to take your car keys."

Mitsuru nodded, and Minako couldn't tell whether she would seriously do that or not, "I just wouldn't want you guys getting hurt. If you feel uncomfortable you can lock your door, but just stay. I think we'd all feel better you guys didn't drive tonight."

"Alright, thank you so much." Minako smiled thankfully, taking a sip from her cup. At least, she could relax now.

"Hey, hey! Shinjiro-senpai!" Kenji grins, and walks over to a figure behind Minako, and Minako turns back.

Shit, shit, shit.

"Shinjiro-senpai! Look at the new friends we made!"

The look on his face was one of surprise and satisfaction when he's formally introduced to the pair, who was missing Junpei. Minako wanted to scream, realizing that this 'Shinjiro-senpai' is none other than that messy haired, tall, photographing brat. Yukari seemed much happier than earlier, and if she still remembered him from earlier, she didn't say anything. Meanwhile, Minako was the one who openly displayed her dislike. She didn't say anything, however, as Shinjiro sat on the countertop next to her and opened a beer.

"Did you miss me?" He asks, more towards her rather than the group. Everyone else is chattering about music, the game, and school. They're so busy throwing out comments and laughs they don't notice the obvious tension between the two.

Somewhere in between Junpei showed up and greeted Shinjiro, unaware that Minako was silently screaming for help. He only ruffles her hair as he settles somewhere else beside Yukari.

The only other person who noticed this was Akihiko, but he said nothing, knowing fully well what's going on.

"Leave me alone…" Minako whispered, smiling through her pain. Shinjiro simply smiles at this.

Maybe he was a sadist, but something about the way she squirmed makes him feel giddy and he already knew that this should be a red flag. Still though, the glare he's received only makes him feel bubbly and he exchanges his nagging conscious for the tiny adrenaline rush he gets from her.

Maybe they didn't see it yet, but they're going to be screwed- and it's only a matter of time.

* * *

A/N: I maso-ed this because I was bored, so please enjoy! Leave a favorite, follow, or review please!


	5. Tuning In

Minako was definitely a heavy sleeper, Shinji thought. It made sense, for someone to be so angry, they'd probably be a heavy sleeper. He was proved wrong, however, when he opened the door, and she stirred a bit in the bed. She sits up, and the oversized t-shirt she got from Mitsuru hangs over her shoulders and reveals her collarbone a bit. Shinjiro is also pretty sure that the shorts were Akihiko's, seeing how they peeked out from under the dress-like shirt. Her hair was an extreme mess, and the sheets were wrapped around her legs- kind of like vines.

She looked absolutely ridiculous.

If Shinjiro had no self-control whatsoever, he probably would have doubled over in laughter. However, he was holding two pretty damn hot cups of coffee and if he spilled any of it, Mitsuru would come and chew him out without a doubt. He couldn't help it though, with Minako glaring at him as if she was a toddler who just woke up from a nap.

"Can I help you?" She croaked out, which wasn't that much of a surprise considering that she's both hungover and newly awoken. And perhaps the fact that she yelled at Shinjiro over the loud music for most of the night.

Shinjiro came closer, and Minako blinked. She didn't really move yet, mostly because she hadn't realized that it was Shinjiro. In all honesty, all Minako knew was that she probably smelled like a drunken mess and that whoever bothering her was a male, disturbing her sleep. She also had no clue where her socks, shoes, or pants are. Damn, she liked those shoes.

Minako blinked once more, and Shinjiro considered telling her the facts. But she looked too damn amusing to just let this blow over, so he just stood in front of her bed. Anyways, he had a hangover and this was a good idea to have some fun.

"Mitsuru wanted me to give this to you." Shinjiro handed over the mug, and Minako finally sat up. She rubbed her eyes with one hand, the other hand taking the mug from whoever's hand, and getting slightly burnt from the warm ceramic. She hissed, and Shinjiro sighs.

"Grab the handle, you idiot," the deep voice scolded her, and she gazed up at the bleary figure.

She wasn't entirely sure who she was looking at, but they were hovering over her bed. She really should've been freaking out considering she wasn't wearing her own clothes, this wasn't her room, and whoever was standing in front of her was getting a one on one view of her sleep-swollen face and her nest of hair poking out in various directions.

"Oh god…" She mumbled, making out the long, messy hair in front of her, as she was hit with a wave of realization and horror.

"You're an ass." Minako simply stated, and Shinjiro chuckled.

"And you're a mess."

Minako tried glaring at Shinjiro as harshly as she can, hoping that he would take the hint and leave. Instead, he starts laughing out loud, quite the opposite of what she wanted.

She tried to brush her messy hair out of her face, but realistically speaking, making a decent impression is the last thing that she was going to accomplish especially considering the circumstances she's constantly put in with this strange guy.

"I honestly hate you," Minako started, "I don't know you, but I hate you." Minako sipped on her coffee quietly, ignoring the fact that Shinjiro just sat down next to her. He was close enough to catch the smell of the alcohol from last night, lingering on her skin and clothes. It was mixed in with the smell of a bright Sunday morning, however, just making Shinjiro want to lay down and go back to sleep.

"You really should be nicer considering I've brought you coffee. I could've just dumped it down the drain," Shinjiro is leaning back, sipping his coffee next to her.

"You deserve no such thing from me, you've been harassing since I met you," she side-eyed him and immediately turned to her coffee cup when he leaned in to meet her gaze.

Somehow, his eyes on her made her feel just a bit nervous, so she shifted her shoulder higher, blocking his eyes from her sight.

"How uncouth, you have pillow marks on your face," he snickered into his mug and sipped quietly.

"You just don't know when to quit do you?"

"No, but neither do you. You're so angry all the time, didn't your parents hug you enough?"

She reeled at the comment, which was ironic considering he's not exactly the nicest person she's ever met and snapped back, "I was hugged enough, thank you!"

"Then you're most likely bitter because you're single as fuck."

Minako gasped, and flushed, "N-no! I'm not… Wait, why the hell am I even discussing this with you? I barely even know you!"

Minako glared back at him, and honestly, if his face wasn't the most infuriating thing she had ever seen, she wasn't sure what would be.

"I think we know each other pretty well," Shinjiro smirked at her, laying down in the bed with his hands around the coffee cup and perched on his stomach. For a brief second, Minako wondered if that burnt him at all. Instead, she said nothing, and her gaze ran from his sock-clad feet to his jeans and the flannel on his torso. She stopped at his face only to realize he was eyeing her too.

"Caught you." Shinjiro smiles like a cat, and Minako wanted nothing else but to lob her mug at his face.

"No! I was just wondering where you got your jeans…" She cringed on the inside, knowing her excuse was terrible. She wasn't checking him out, she was just giving him a once over where she happened to realize he had a surprisingly attractive profile.

Like hell was she ever going to say that out loud.

Her coffee was halfway gone, but she didn't really plan on finishing it- so she placed it on the floor beside the bed fell back onto the bed like Shinjiro. After having that hot drink settle in her stomach, she was more than tempted to go back to sleep, but the caffeine was going to kick in soon and she'd be wide awake.

Minako closed her eyes anyway, in order to avoid the gaze of the man next to her.

He was surprisingly quiet, and Minako could even hear his breath. For a moment, she almost thought he was asleep until she heard the blankets rustle next to her. She tried to pretend she didn't feel his gaze on her face, until he cleared his throat.

"Don't suffocate yourself. You're barely breathing. I just need to ask you a question," his voice was low and quiet, different from the usual smug tone he has when he talked to her.

"What now?" Minako asked, though it almost sounded quite like a death threat. She opened her eyes to look at him.

Taking a deep breath, Shinjiro looked her in the eyes.

"What were you running from at the game? You looked pretty upset."

Minako groaned on the inside, not thinking that this was what he was going to ask her. Slowly, she whispered out.

"A… Guy…"

Minako was a hundred percent sure that her face was completely red but now, and that Shinjiro was going to laugh. But he didn't.

"Bad relationship?" Unbeknownst to Minako, Shinjiro was definitely familiar with these topics. He had dealt with them on the radio show a lot and therefore was actually willing to give some input. And as much as he hated the idea of love and everything, he liked listening to people- Minako was no exception.

"Not exactly, just a bad experience and I don't want to see him, at all. I'm not sad, but I'm just mad in general if that makes sense?" She felt like an idiot, the only person who really listened to her troubles like this is her brother, Yukari, and Junpei. Even then she made sure to keep it short and sweet.

Shinjiro nods, his face now looking at the sheets and thoughtful. Minako could see that he was looking for something to say to her and despite the fact that he's only been rude to her, the notion was rather nice. He was trying to be kind and that's more than false promises or half-hearted words.

"It's kind of like a paper cut. It's not enough to hurt you too badly, but salt and soap still get in there and it stings. So no matter how tiny it is, you still have to put a band-aid on it." He finally said, after a few moments of silence.

The words made sense and for once, someone has actually helped her clear her mind, not like the muddled mess of opinions that were constantly thrown at her. She loved being a girl, but sometimes she wondered why they were all so analytical. Is it genes or is it society?

Minako caught Shinjiro's gaze, and for a second she was tempted to ask him. It was too tempting- because the way he looked at her made it seem like he was also waiting for her to ask him. Her lips parted, but the words never made it past her tongue.

A knock on the door caused the two to sit up completely straight, and Minako rushes to fix her bedhead.

"Shinji, did you give Minako her coffee?" Mitsuru's head poked through the door, and her eyes widened just a bit- not enough to give away her complete surprise. Shinjiro leaned on the backboard of the bed, and Minako had the coffee to her lips, not saying anything. Mitsuru wasn't completely sure if she wanted to say something. Just last night they looked like they wanted to kill each other- Minako at least. Shinjiro looked like he was enjoying it a bit.

"Hey, is Minako awake yet?" Junpei's voice boomed through the hallway, followed by Yukari's groan.

"She definitely is now, with your loud-ass voice."

Soon, both Junpei and Yukari end up behind Mitsuru. Seeing the Minako and Shinjiro on the bed, they couldn't exactly hide their expressions as well as their senpai did, and Junpei blinked a few times.

"Uh, Minako…" He stammered, "Are we interrupting something?"

"Oh my god…" Minako's face paled. She looked back at Shinjiro, who seemed as innocent as ever.

At that moment, she knew this would be a long day.

* * *

A/N : Wow, I haven't updated in forever. I swear I have plans for this! But anyways leave a review and favorite this maybe? Thank you~


	6. Radio Waves

It took the pair a good ten minutes to get everything sorted out with Junpei and Yukari, and when they do, everyone was aware of the morning slumber party Minako and Shinjiro had in the room. Junpei even went as far as pretending to be offended, to which Yukari slapped him on the shoulder for- then continued to whisper something in his ear. Minako swore she heard her name in that conversation but decided to leave it alone.

In the meanwhile, Mitsuru shoved more and more pancakes onto a plate. She seemed to be the only one in a normal state- which made sense because she was the only one who didn't drink last night.

"You're drooling," Shinjiro noted. Of course, he had to end up sitting right next to her, Minako thought. She swore that this man was the devil in disguise. In response, Minako stuck out her tongue at him, unchewed pancake stuck to it and all. When Shinjiro started to choke on his pancake, their friends only gave him a weird look.

"You do know how to chew, right?" Aki raised his eyebrows, and Shinjiro made sure to hide his reading glasses somewhere later.

Not paying any attention to the conversation, Yukari turned to Minako, "We're heading home after this, right?"

Minako nodded, "Yeah, let me just get changed and we'll head out," she turned to Mitsuru, "Thank you for having us over- sorry if we were a bit much."

Mitsuru only smiled at this, "No, it's never too much. I've dealt with far worse in this dorm. Besides, you're one of us now."

Minako thought she had met an actual princess, seeing Mitsuru's face. At that moment, however, a shrill sound echoed out of someone's phone. Shinjiro stands, which made the whole table look at him as he pulled out his phone.

Immediately, the look on his face changed. The light atmosphere disappeared, and Shinji didn't look too pleased.

"Is there something wrong, senpai?" Ken asked, trying to pinpoint what had changed the older boy's mood. It wasn't anything physical, except for the big scowl on his face.

"It's fine," Shinjiro reassured the group, "Just work stuff. I have to go."

Shinjiro waves goodbye, turning to go change into his work clothes. Everyone said their goodbyes, but Minako stared at him a little too intensely as he left. She wasn't exactly sure what she was expecting- it wasn't like they were exactly friends or even enemies.

Except, Minako noticed that she wasn't entirely okay as Shinjiro's gaze swept over her, their eyes meeting for a second, as he left without a word. Suddenly, the pancake in her mouth didn't taste as sweet and didn't feel as fluffy. Instead, it felt a little too dry and hard to swallow. Minako cringed at the lump in her throat, swallowing it before asking Kenji for a glass of milk. He handed her one, as Mitsuru asked worriedly if the pancakes were bad.

Minako shrugged it off, "Too much syrup. I made it too sweet, that's all."

Mitsuru nodded, and Minako found herself bored with the desert-like meal. Junpei and Yukari noticed, but they chalked it up to the hangover they all had. And honestly, Minako tried to think that it was the problem, too.

* * *

Minako was exhausted, though, she wasn't completely sure if she did anything productive today- other than nurse her hangover and drive Junpei and Yukari home. After their breakfast, she helped Mitsuru and Ken clean up, while everyone chatted and sat around. Finally, she said goodbye to them, as well as Akihiko and Kenji, before finally heading home.

Junpei and Yukari seemed to have passed out the moment they buckled themselves in. Minako was thankful; she honestly thought they wouldn't even get to the seatbelts. After a fifteen minute drive, they all went their own ways, and Minako climbed up the stairs groggily to her apartment. Partying and drinking made you like that, kind of like a human zombie. It made everything strange and hollow, like needing the whole day to get better despite the fact you were all giggles and smiles the night before.

Minato had once told her it was, "Borrowing Happiness". That little drink gave you happiness for a temporary time before you had to return it.

Minako sat in the tub of her apartment a few hours later, thinking that it made sense. It explained why she was sitting in her bathtub at 1 in the morning with a book in hand, trying to figure out why she was moping. The worst moment happened when a thought popped into her head, to call Akio and, "just talk". Minako immediately knew that was the biggest bullshit in the world, and proceeded to turn of her phone to stop the temptation.

Her radio was on in the background playing a remixed version of Stay High and while she didn't hate this song, she was wondering why she was listening to it. It was Sunday night and normally she never listened, but this particular set list had been promising so she let it play while she filled her bathtub. Once she was settled amidst her bubbles she didn't bother with turning it off, letting it play random tracks that she actually found good.

Minako put her book to the side and slid deeper into the water, almost sinking completely. This changed, however, when she heard a familiar voice turn on.

"Gooood evening, ladies and gentlemen," It said, "It's a surprise visit from DJ Castor! I'm sure you guys weren't expecting me tonight. Well, Jia called in sick today- so she isn't here to play her crappy sets, and I'm here to take requests and chat. So ring the station and let's see how tonight goes, I need some fun."

His voice faded out and the beat in the background became a different song, one she vaguely recognized, but she didn't care too much. She was much more concerned about the low voice that was on the radio and why he was on now.

The last time she heard him, he gave her a shout out. She never did thank him for that. Would it be weird to call about that?

"That's a stupid idea," Minako huffed to herself, but she couldn't help herself from looking at the phone at her side. She dunked her head into the water almost immediately, as if she wanted to wash the thoughts out from her head. Instead, she ended up with a burning nose full of water.

"Okay, just maybe I can call. I can call and ask that question I wanted to ask Shinjiro about earlier."

She felt extra courageous today. Picking up the phone and getting out of the bath, she went to go get dressed. A few minutes later, she lay on her bed, phone pressed to her ear and fingers fumbling with the towel on her head. It was ridiculous how fast her heart was pounding. and it was even more ridiculous when she literally forgot how to speak when the DJ picked up the phone.

"Hello?" He spoke slowly, "Cat got your tongue, caller number 12?"

"No, it's nine."

DJ Castor snickered, "No, no… You're caller number 12 right now."

Minako sighed, "No! Nine, from the other night. The one who cursed you out."

Another snicker came from the DJ, but he sounded more pleased than annoyed. Minako was relieved, she didn't really want to be hung up on right now.

"Caller, caller, number nine, do you have a question so we can pass the time?" He chuckled lowly. This was probably a bad idea, but she was already there.

"I actually do and I also wanted to say thank you. For that shout out the other day."

"No problem," He actually sounded a bit taken aback, "I guess I'm just a sucker for weaklings."

"Ass."

"The best. Anyway, what's your question?"

Minako pondered over it for a second, before she asked.

"Well, do you think girls over analyze things because it's in our nature or did society and media teach us this?"

Shinjiro perked up immediately, liking the change from the usual life drama, to an actually psychological talk. He didn't get many of these, but when he did, he knew he was in for a long night.

"You realize this'll take a while to answer?" Minako heard from the other line. She couldn't see, but Shinjiro was smiling to himself.

"That's okay," She answered, "I've got time and coffee."

* * *

It was 2 in the morning, and Minako knew she needed to sleep. Instead, she was sat on her bed, blanket wrapped around her, with a deep voice sounding in her ear. She also knew that she was going to regret this when she woke up later. Just the thought of the exhaustion she would feel tomorrow made her want to press the "end call" button, but she decided that she didn't mind it when the person on the other end chuckled.

Which was weird.

But maybe, it was the fact that she didn't know him in real life which made it comforting. She could literally spout all the nonsense in her mind and not worry about meeting this person in real life. It was definitely freeing, and at the same time, a little depressing.

Minako wanted to be this comfortable around others. Of course, she had Minato, Yukari, Junpei, and even Koromaru, but she didn't want to just dump all her feelings on them all the time. She couldn't help feeling like a burden at times, but she knew that it was just a stupid thought. She knew her brother and her friends cared for her, obviously. Unfortunately, though, she's been like this for a little too long. She worried too much about stepping on the toes of those she loved and holding on too tight. It reminded her of being a child and wanting to hug friends, but being swatted away because they were too old to hold hands now, and too grown up to be affectionate.

Insecurity was honestly such an ugly thing, always showing up when you least needed it.

Yet, as she lay there with the phone pressed to her ear, it didn't exist as much, and she was somewhat comforted.

"Can I ask you something?" Minako finally asked after the faceless DJ had stopped ranting about how incredibly picky girls can be. She got it, she really did, and she felt sorry for him. Sometimes they just can't help it- especially when girls have literally been taught to spot prince charming since they were about four.

"You already did and we've been talking for about an hour. I don't see why you need to ask me," he replied, sinking into his chair with the automatic setlist playing in the background.

"Why did you give me that shoutout? I thought you were supposed to be an ice prince?" She sank down into the bed and his silence almost surprised her. He's been quick about responding to everything so far.

"How flattering that you think I'm a prince, but I'm far from it. And to answer that, I don't know, really. You seemed kind of pathetic and I felt bad for popping your pink love bubble," DJ Castor replied, not quite sure of himself. Yet, it was surprisingly easy to unravel his thoughts over the phone when he didn't have a face or name to the voice.

It was too easy.

"Idiot," Minako huffed.

"And I don't have to be nice to you," DJ Castor replied, "I could just hang up the phone here."

Minako snickered, "As if. Anyways, can I- can I ask you something else?"

The DJ leaned forward into the phone, noting that she reminded him a bit of Akihiko. Always asking questions, they were. He recognized that awkward silence on the other line, and he knew what type of question she was going to ask next. He always hated those kinds of questions, because they made him waver, and it was hard to look someone in the eye when you don't quite know where you stand.

"Shoot." He knew better than to let this continue, but he still let her ask. Maybe it was because he could actually say the truth without having someone measure his every word right in front of his face.

"Why do you like doing this? I mean, you don't sound like you believe in relationships at all. It's almost like a joke to you. Yet, I've heard you comfort people, cheer them up, give them advice, and help them. At the same time, you've torn people down, knocking sense into them. So I want to know why? And what are you, nosy or a good Samaritan?"

"Next question," he replied quickly, soliciting a groan from the other side of the line. He definitely wasn't expecting this type of question, and he was kind of surprised that she had been paying this much attention.

"Hey!"

"Fine, fine. But if I tell you, you have to promise me one thing," He chewed on his lip thoughtfully. The idea of being too honest with her was kind of like diving into the deep end of a pool. On one hand, he might drown. On the other hand, there was always a lifesaver. And that was what he needed right now.

"Alright, what is it?"

"If I answer you, you have to promise me we'll never meet. I mean, ever."

Minako stilled at the suggestion. She knew that she should be jumping for joy because the one person who single-handedly embarrassed her with well-placed words never wanted to see her. At the same time, he was the only person who's been so upfront with her- and while the idea of ever meeting is farfetched, hearing him make it definitive was like putting on a permanent blindfold.

"Fine. We'll never meet and this means we can tell each other everything and anything. No secrets."

The man on the line wasn't exactly sure if this was a good idea or not. However, despite the voice that screamed in the back of his head to say no, he agreed.

"Alright, so," the DJ began, and Minako sat in anticipation of what he was going to say next, "I've had and seen some shitty relationships."

"That's it?" Minako was confused, she really expected more.

"It's also kind of a weird personality thing," Castor sighs into the phone, "I've always liked listening to people. I'm more of an observer sometimes, and I see a lot of people mess up. Sometimes I think they deserve it and other times they don't. When they don't, I want to help and when they do, I call them out on it."

A small "oh" sounded from Minako's side.

However, the DJ continued, "I guess I'm just a sucker for people who are too soft for their own good."

Minako smiled at his response, "That's really sweet of you, you know?"

"Can you not? I'm going to regret this…"

"Don't! I think that's nice of you, I really do. But I also think that's kind of sad though…"

"And why the hell is that, princess?" Castor expected a stupid response from her, just like the things she had been saying all night. Instead, what she said surprised him.

"Because I think you're helping everyone else, hoping that someone's going to do the same for you one day, but every time you're let down and no one picks you up, you get a little colder. You're a walking contradiction."

In all honesty, Minako expected a quick answer, most likely a denial, but she was met with silence. The silence made her cringe, and for the first time in this phone call, she wished she could take her words back. However, there was no point as Shinjiro cleared his throat.

"Nine? I think we're done here. Get some sleep." He didn't even wait for a response on the other end before he pressed the end button. The only thing he heard at that point was the setlist, still playing like nothing ever happened.

He really hated caller number nine.

* * *

Shinjiro was quite rational, making sure he thought before he spoke. He tiptoed around his own feelings, careful to not lash out at the wrong person. He was mindful of his friends and his advice. He steeled himself against all the bullshit people aimed at him. Even then, there were things that slipped in through cracks and stung. He hated it and himself for it.

Maybe this was why things don't work out when he tried too hard?

He tried to stifle a groan, knowing that he shouldn't have been bothered by an over-analytical stranger and her comment. Yet, there he was, sat in his photography class, cringing about it. The words crawled up his neck and made him tense up.

He genuinely thought that it was so stupid, maybe even cliche. The man who dished it all out apparently couldn't handle it when it was thrown back at him.

"Is there something you wish to share with us Aragaki?" The professor narrowed her eyes at him.

"No, ma'am."

"Let me remind you, that you don't need to be here if you don't want to." When she turned back to her lecture, Shinjiro ducked behind his hands again and huffed.

He knew his logic was flawed, but he completely blamed caller number nine for this shitty day. The only comfort he had was that he would never see her in person, which was slightly disappointing, but that was the least of his issues at that moment. One being how he was going to pay for his next year of college.

He'd been in school for a good two and a half years already, and it had been smooth for the first year, but things started getting difficult when his parents' business had begun to slow down. A family-owned ramen shop usually didn't do too well in the face of all those chain restaurants popping up, and his father's stress began to be directed at him. That was another reason why he was so careful with his feelings, making sure he didn't direct them to the wrong person.

His parents had been supportive of his decision to become a photographer, but lately, it didn't seem like a job he loved would be enough. All their conversations suddenly turned into, "Are you sure this guarantees a proper living?" or "We need your help, we're counting on you."

Shinjiro understood the need to help his parents out, and he respected that. At the same time, however, the thought of becoming the only hope for his parents made him sick to the stomach. Sometimes, it made him want to hide- which was a fact that he was ashamed of.

He was doing what he could- getting scholarships, working odd jobs when its possible, and working at the radio station. It helped, but it didn't feel like much when things were continually getting worse.

He pressed his face to the cool side of the desk, hoping he'd disappear- if only for just a second, but it's no use because the class was over and he had homework to squeeze in before his shift at the radio station later that night.

He grabbed his bag and was on the way out when his professor called him over. Shinjiro was already preparing an apology for earlier, but he was silenced when his professor handed over a crisp yellow envelope. From the thickness of it, he could already tell that it was photos.

"What's this about?" Shinjiro's brows furrowed as the glossy photos slid out into his hands.

He expected them to be an old project, but as he saw the one of Kenji dancing, he realized that these were from his scavenger hunt. He didn't miss the one of Minako, but he quickly shoved it behind all the other ones.

"Do you not like that one?" The teacher asked him, reaching over to pull out the picture, as well as some of Kenji.

"It's a fluke shot. It wasn't even supposed to get it printed," Shinjiro's hands were behind his head, scratching at his neck awkwardly.

"You're either lying to me or lucky because this one is actually a wonderful shot, along with the rest of these. Have you heard of the competition being held?" Professor Toriumi leaned over the desk, her arms crossed over her chest, and her eyes hawk-like.

"No, I've been kind of busy with other things," he shrugged and moved to put the photos away, and the way he handled them made his teacher frown as she pressed on, knowing she would either move him or annoy him.

"Well- you should make time for it. There's a general theme with three categories and you have to pass each one to the make it to the final one."

Shinjiro shifted his weight to his other foot, and nodded his head, signaling her to continue.

"The general theme is 'What Makes Us Happy', each category touches on one of the elements, the first is love, the second is help, and the last one is a free category. If you make it to the last round and win there's a scholarship and an exhibition of all your personal work if you place in the top three there's a smaller cash prize. It's worth looking into."

Suddenly, Shinjiro felt that the envelope in his hands was a little heavier, and he wasn't quite sure if this was the answer to all his prayers.

"I don't know if it's such a good idea to get distracted right now," Shinjiro put the pictures away, this time much more carefully than a second ago. He thought that he should be concerned with graduating and getting a proper job, not being an artist.

"Think about it, Shinjiro. Okay? I don't know what your worries are, but there's nothing to lose if you join."

He wanted to tell her yes, but all he could do was nod. Her disappointment flashed for a brief moment before she returned to her normal face. Shinjiro muttered a quiet thank you, before practically sprinting out of the room. He wanted to believe this was something good, this was the last shot for him, but at the same time, there are rational choices, the intuitive ones that he knows are safe.

Did he want a definite answer or did he want to gamble?

* * *

A/N : oh boy this was a long chapter! it's been in the works for a while, but i decided to revise it here and there. have fun! leave a review if you'd like, thank you!


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